London Rain

Brrr...yesterday was clear and cold in London, but no rain. But I couldn't think of a song called "London is Chilly," so apologies for the misleading post title.

I went to the Courtauld Institute and Galleries yesterday, and I highly recommend it on my list of Things You Must do While in London. Oh, you haven't seen that list yet? Hmm. Perhaps I'll post a summary at the end of this trip. Especially recommended for Elly, because there was an ice-skating rink AND Van Gogh paintings! And for Faye as well, because there were Picassos too. Oh, and some Rubens, for Steph. The Courtauld is quite a gem of a museum, because it's just the right size. And we all know that I love little museums, for my limited arty-attention span and because I can actually see the whole thing and not get stressed out that I might have missed something really important. The galleries are part of the art institute, so each painting has a very helpful explanation with it, so touring it is like a mini art class. Except maybe even better, because I didn't leave halfway through it to go eat Indian food on the lawn with Stephanie. Ah...college. But I digress. Back to the descriptions of the paintings...for example, next to a dreamlike Rousseau painting of a tollgate, the card explained that Rousseau worked as a tollkeeper for many years. Ah! But of course. It's the little things like that. I like to know what I'm looking at and why.

After the museum I walked up the Strand to Covent Garden market, browsed there a bit, was serenaded by some opera singers, then wandered about Leicester Square and all it's touristy theatrey insanity. I popped into my favorite sandwich shop, Pret a Manger, grabbed some lunch, and headed back to the hotel for a nap. I don't know why, but the English sandwiches are the best ever.

Note the Christmas decorations in Covent Garden. Also note the absence of inflatable Santas or light-up deer. Nearly tasteful enough to put me in the Christmas spirit.

It's cold again today but clear and dry, so I'm deciding between the National Gallery and the V & A museums, or catching a theatre matinee....